Tightly knit
by shy-hinata
Summary: Eiji calls Oishi over for help in answering his sister's challenge. Really, how hard is it to knit a scarf?


Title: Tightly knit Author: shyhinata  
Rating: G, with a teeny little bit of kissing  
Pairing: Golden Pair  
Summary: Eiji accepts a challenge from his sister, but needs Oishi's help to complete it  
Warning: This story contains shonen-ai. If this offends you, please doing read this. This story is un-beta-ed. Any comments on improving my writing would be really appreciated.

* * *

It was a brilliant Sunday morning. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and Oishi Syuichiroh, the ever dutiful vice-captain of Seigaku...was sitting in his room doing his homework. After finishing a particularly tough problem, Oishi looked out of his window and sighed. Before he could turn his attention to his next homework problem, he heard his cell phone ring. 

"Hello? Oishi speaking"

"Nya, of course it's you. Who else would I be calling?"

The cheerful voice of Kikumaru Eiji made Oishi smile. He could practically hear the grin on red-head's face over the phone.

"What's up Eiji?"

"O-i-shi...I need some help. Can you come over?"

Eiji always drew out Oishi's name like that when he had a favour to ask of the dark-haired boy. Oishi felt a little chill run down his spine before a realization hit him. It was a beautiful day outside, and Kikumaru Eiji was...indoors? His brows creased in worry.

"Sure thing. Is everything okay? Is something wrong?"

"Oh! Don't worry, Oishi. I'm fine. I just need some help with a small project. You aren't too busy, are you? How soon can you be over?"

"I just need to let my mom know, and then I'll be right there, okay?"

"Thanks, Oishi! You're the best!"

Oishi hung up the phone, and packed his bag. He wasn't sure what Eiji was up to, but _something_ had to be up. Not much in this world could keep his irrepressible partner at home on such a sunny day.

- - - - - - - -  
Eiji hung up his phone and breathed a sigh of relief. Oishi would come over and make everything right. 

_Stupid sister...challenging me like that...Stupid me for accepting her challenge!! What was I thinking?! No, no...you'll show her...once Oishi gets here, we'll show her..._

Eiji then marched back to the couch where a small basket was sitting. He gave the basket a sour look before pointing his finger at it.

"Just you wait! I'm gonna have you beat, you stupid knitting needles you!"

- - - - - - - - -  
Oishi couldn't help the slightly puzzled expression he wore as Eiji presented him with the basket. Inside were two knitting needles, and three balls of cheery red yarn. The yarn matched Eiji's hair nicely. Oishi gently fingered the soft yarn, a little jealous that this very yarn would soon be wrapped around Eiji's delicate neck. 

"Um...Forgive me for asking Eiji, but why are you trying to knit a scarf when the weather outside is so nice?"

"It was a challenge! My sister was probably tired of me bouncing around the house last night. She said that I was incapable of sitting still and getting anything useful done. Of course I couldn't let her call me incapable of anything. So, she pulled these out and challenged me to sit down and knit something simple. Wah...how was I supposed to know that today was going to be such a beautiful day. Plus I don't even know how to knit...so...can you help me? Please?"

Eiji gave Oishi a cute little pout that caused the taller boy to shake his head in amusement. Oishi could never refuse Eiji anything when he gave him that pout.

"Well, I can help you a bit, but you're going to have to do most of the knitting yourself, okay?"

Eiji's face brightened, and he nodded enthusiastically.

"I didn't know that you knew how to knit, Oishi!"

"Actually, I don't...but I'm sure we can find instructions somewhere online. Don't worry, the Golden Pair will figure things out. Right, Eiji?"

"Yay!"

With that cheer, Eiji jumped up and down with excitement as they headed upstairs to use the computer. Ten minutes later, armed with instructions and a simple pattern, they head back downstairs and flopped onto the couch. With a slight bit of hesitation, Oishi picked up a ball of yarn and the knitting needles. Carefully and methodically, he followed the instructions and began to cast a few stitches onto the needle. Eiji sat down next to his partner, studying Oishi's sure and steady hands.

"Teach me too, Oishi?"

"Sure, Eiji. Here...take these."

Oishi handed over the needle and yarn before taking Eiji's hands into his own.

"Okay...first you hold the yarn like this, and hold the needle here. You put the needle under this strand...yup...then over the other one...then pull it through the loop....Okay...let's do a few more together..."

Eiji could feel his heart beating faster. He knew that Oishi was trying to teach him, but this was just too distracting! Oishi was sitting so close that his breath was tickling Eiji's neck. On top of that, there were Oishi's hands, gently cradling his own. They had lots of calluses from years of playing tennis, but something about them made them feel incredibly soft and comfortable. It was getting hard to concentrate, and Eiji swallowed hard. Five stitches later, Eiji felt dizzy, but smiled at the taller boy.

"Okay...I think I've got it. So I just keep doing this?"

Oishi nodded. Was it getting hot in here, or was it just him? His face felt really warm all of a sudden. He let go of Eiji's hands and picked up the pattern, studying the instructions.

"Yup. According to this pattern, you only need to cast on 9 more stitches."

Oishi looked up from the paper and was greeted by the sight of Eiji with his tongue sticking slightly out of his mouth, muttering to himself. The redhead wore a determined look on his face.

"Under, and over, and through the loop! Under, and over, and through the loop!"

A warm smile graced Oishi's lips as he found himself staring at his partner. In Oishi's opinion, there was nothing in the world better to look at than a determined Eiji. Didn't Eiji know just how irresistibly cute he was? Eiji finished casting on the last stitch and looked up.

"Hmm? What are you staring at Oishi? Do I have some toothpaste on my face or something?"

Eiji began to wipe his mouth as Oishi came to his senses.

"Huh? Oh...no, no...you don't have anything on your face. Sorry...I was just watching you work."

Oishi placed the paper in his lap and took the needles and yarn from Eiji.

"Okay...so, when the pattern says 'K', that means a knit stitch...Like this."

Glancing at the instructions, Oishi experimentally looped the yarn around his fingers and moved the needles through the first stitch. Eiji watched at Oishi worked. It was easier for him to learn by watching and doing than reading instructions.

"Hmm...okay...so when they say 'P', they mean purl stitch..."

Oishi's brow furrowed as he looked to the instructions to understand the difference between a knit and a purl. Eiji suppressed a laugh as he watched Oishi's facial expressions. Didn't Oishi know how cute he was when he got that 'I'm concentrating hard' look? Eiji had to fight the impulse to poke Oishi's forehead. Having mastered the knit and purl, Oishi looked up from the needles to find Eiji staring at him.

"Eiji? Do I have something stuck to my face?"

"Ah! No, no! Sorry...I must've just zoned out or something..."

Eiji flashed Oishi a sheepish grin. Oishi smiled back at his partner.

"No problem...sorry about making you wait while I figure things out. You must be getting bored."

Eiji shook his head, and as about to open his mouth when he realized that he didn't quite want to admit that he could never be bored when Oishi-watching was one of his favourite hobbies.

"Okay...I think I've got this figured out. Now why don't you try?"

Oishi handed their start of a knitting project over to Eiji. He then wrapped one arm around Eiji to grasp a needle in each hand. By this time, Oishi knew he was blushing as he held Eiji in what amounted to a tight embrace.

"Uh...sorry about this Eiji...I don't really know how to teach you any other way."

Eiji could feel the contours of Oishi's well-muscled chest against his back. Was it just him, or was it getting really hot in here? Oishi's hands guided Eiji's through the pattern. Knit two, purl 1, knit two, purl 1. The hairs on the back of Eiji's neck were standing on end as Oishi's warm breath tickled them. By now, Eiji had forgotten all about the nice weather outside.

Oishi watched as Eiji started to get the hang of things. It was a good thing too. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold Eiji like that without doing something crazy and impulsive. Every time he inhaled, the scent of Eiji's apple-mint shampoo would make him feel dizzy.

"There...I think you've got the hang of it. So, just follow the pattern, and you'll be all set."

Oishi reluctantly let go of Eiji, and was about to stand up to leave. However, Eiji seemed to know his partners mind, and put a hand on Oishi's shoulder.

"Nya! You're not going to leave me, are you? What if I make a mistake and need help fixing it?"

Oishi was about remind Eiji that he was just as new to knitting and probably wouldn't really be much help, but something in the redhead's pleading voice and eyes made Oishi change his mind. He could feel himself falling under Eiji's spell. He shook his head.

"No, I'm not leaving...I just need to use the washroom. I'll sit here and do my homework, so if you run into trouble I can try to help."

"Thanks Oishi! You're the best!"

Eiji flung himself at Oishi and wrapped the dark-haired teen in a big hug.

- - - - - - - -  
Oishi stretched his legs a bit. They each had been working for quite a while now. Being a quick learner, Eiji had run into very few problems with the knitting project. Oishi had to admit that he hadn't expected Eiji to make it this far. With his homework now finished, he sat himself down next to Eiji, quietly appreciating the sight of Eiji working away. He should have known things wouldn't be quiet for long. 

"AHHHH!!! Oh no!!! I couldn't save it! Now I've lost a stitch!!"

Oishi nearly jumped out of his seat. Instead, he lay a reassuring hand on Eiji's shoulder.

"Easy there, Eiji...Let me see..."

Oishi leaned closer to Eiji to look at the scarf in progress. Their faces were just a few centimetres apart. Eiji quickly forgot his distress as he looked at his partner's gentle face, his eyes locked on Oishi's dark green eyes.

"Oishi..."

Eiji's voice was like a whisper. Oishi looked up, and found himself staring into the depths of Eiji's clear blue eyes.

"Eiji..."

Neither of them could tell who moved first. Most likely they had moved in synch, each somehow knowing the other's feelings. It's often said that eyes are the window to your soul, and when someone knows you well enough, they can see things that maybe even you can't. There was no hesitation and no fear as the distance between their faces narrowed and their lips met in a shy, yet loving first kiss. Outside, the birds sang happily while basking in the sunshine.

- - - - - - - -  
When Eiji's sister got home, there was a jubilant Eiji, a slightly blushing, but smiling Oishi, and a soft, red scarf to greet her. Eiji twirled it in her face before wrapping it around his neck. 

"Ta dah! See? I told you I could sit still long enough to do something useful. Oishi helped, but I did most of it all by myself!"

Eiji stuck out his tongue at his older sister, as Oishi gave her a sheepish smile. Eiji's sister smirked.

"Well, with Oishi over to help you, I'm sure you weren't actually sitting still the whole time."

She turned and walked out of the room before she could see the intense blushes on both their faces.

THE END

- - - - - - -  
AUTHOR'S NOTES

This story combined two things that I really love: the Golden Pair and knitting! Yeah...I know, I'm such a dork.

And a big thank you goes out to crYstaL, the mighty mighty m, Itital, 4julls, Mazza2869, and Cayenne for reviewing my other works! I love getting comments! Oh, and apologies to everyone in the LJ community who might have already seen this story. 


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